The thing that changed for me was not hunger, it was that the constant background negotiation about food simply stopped, and I had not realised it was constant until it was not.
What I am after is whether the quiet is the same mechanism as the appetite suppression or a separate one, because they seem to come and go on different schedules.
Not looking for reassurance. Looking for the part I have got wrong.
Dr.EndoEP said:The thing that changed for me was not hunger, it was that the constant background negotiation about food simply stopped, and I had not realised it was…
Phantom hunger vs real hunger on food noise: learning to distinguish between the two has been a revelation. Real hunger: gradual onset, physical stomach sensation, any food sounds good. Phantom hunger: sudden, emotionally triggered, specific food cravings, occurs right after eating.
The GLP-1 agonist suppresses real hunger beautifully. Phantom hunger still pops up but I can now recognize it for what it is — an emotional signal, not a physical need. Mindfulness training helped enormously with this distinction.
CarlaRPh_TPA said:Phantom hunger vs real hunger on food noise: learning to distinguish between the two has been a revelation.
The GLP-1 and alcohol use disorder connection, relevant to food noise: observational data from Scandinavian registries shows reduced alcohol-related hospitalizations in GLP-1 agonist users[1].
The mechanism is plausible: GLP-1R is expressed in the mesolimbic reward pathway (VTA, nucleus accumbens). Agonism at these receptors may reduce the reinforcing properties of alcohol, similar to the reduction in "food noise."
RCTs for GLP-1 agonists in AUD are now underway. If positive, this would be a paradigm-shifting repurposing of existing medications.
[1] Wang W, et al. Nat Med. 2024;30:574-584.
Sigma-Aldrich — Research-Grade Standards
Certified reference materials, analytical reagents, and research-grade standards for peptide verification. Trusted by laboratories worldwide.
Shop Reference StandardsDr.EndoEP said:The thing that changed for me was not hunger, it was that the constant background negotiation about food simply stopped, and I had not realised it was…
Adding a me-too, because a thread of one person's experience is not much use.
From the other side of the consultation, briefly.
Central vs peripheral GLP-1R signaling in food noise: elegant studies using brain-penetrant vs peripherally-restricted GLP-1 agonists show that ~80% of the weight loss effect is centrally mediated[1].
The key brain regions: arcuate nucleus (appetite), area postrema (nausea), NTS (satiety), VTA/NAc (reward). Peripheral effects (gastric emptying, insulin secretion) contribute but are secondary for weight loss.
This has implications for next-gen drugs: optimizing brain penetration and CNS receptor occupancy may be more important than systemic exposure.
[1] Secher A, et al. J Clin Invest. 2014;124(10):4473-4488.